Gun-cartridge.



Patented Mar. 4, $902,

R. w. Smm. GUN CARTRIDGE.

(Application filed July 3, 1900.1

(N0 Model.)

mwa

' j UNITED STATES To LZZ whom it may concern,.-

PATENT. GFFICE.

ROBERT lV. SCOTT, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.-

GUN-CARTRIDG E.

, I SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 694,894, dated March 4, 1902. application filed July 3, 1900. I Serial lNo 22,441. (No model.)

Beit known that I, ROBERT W. SCOTT,aciti zen ofthe United States, residing in Philadel- 'phia,Pennsylvania,have invented certainlrn-` provements in Gun-Cartridges, of, which the 1 the lateral and vertical distances between the 1 or rifiing is in a-right-hand direction, thel drift or lateral deviation-of the projectiles .gu n-barrel'.

projectiles at the target and to protect and render more efficient the explosive charge interposed between the foremost projectile of the series in the cartridge and that-in the rear of it. These objects I attain in the man ner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis an enlarged sectional view of a cartridge constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View illustrating acertain step in the manufacture of the same; and Fig.`3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating another method of carrying out my invention. I

In my application before alluded to I have shown, described, and claimed a cartridgel containing a series of projectiles disposed one in advance of another and having provisionfor interposing a barrier of elastic iiuid'unf. der pressure between them when the series is simultaneously red by a projecting agent at the rear of the series, the preferable method of accomplishing this result being to j generate a volume of gas between successive projectiles as the cartridge is fired, which gas is dissipated in the atmosphere at or near the muzzle of the gun, thus leaving a definite space between successive projectiles and insuring an accuracy of flight which is impossible iflthe projectiles are permitted to come into contact with each other as they leave the suming that but two projectiles are'used in the cartridge and assuming also that the twist y An .extended horizontal line of, re is of the first importance in military opfrom a straight line will be tothe right ofthe object aimed at and, conversely, if the riiling be in a left-hand direction the drift ordeviation of Athe projectile will be to the left. There exists a wide difference of opinion as to thefcause of this lateral drift or deviation;

but experiments indicate that it is increased in proprortion to the increased density of the. Iiuid, such as the atmosphere, through which the projectile takes it flight.'

It has been `found. in practice that where the cartridge has two projectiles of the same sectional vdensity the forward projectile has a greater tendency to drift than the rear projectile,l and the latter exhibits a tendency to d rop below the forward one at all ranges, the drop being increased as the range is increased. By sectional density is meant the relation between the weight and the transverse sectional area of the projectile, this being usually determined by dividing tie weight in pounds by the square of the diameterA in inches The tendency of the rear projectile to dropbelow the forward one and of the forward projectile to drift more than the rear one may be accounted for as follows; In cartridges inA ,tended for use with modern smokeless powder of high power and generating enormous pressure reliance for exploding the charge ino'f the material of the shell or casing under` the action of the power developed on the ex-` plosion of the projecting charge, 'this expana sion of the shell .providing sufficient space4 around the rear projectile to insure ignition ofthe interposed charge ahead of it-by com-A -I munication from the explosive projecting charge behind it. The passage of the gas'of iicient to cause the rear projectile to drop below the front one. and is mostmarked at the longer ran ges-sayfrom frve hundred to'onethow.

.the explosive projecting chargearound and beyond the rear projectile robs the latter of IOO lsand yards.v The same is true when the rearl projectile has passages formed init for the iow of -gas from the projecting charge to the explosivechargeinfrontofsaidrearprojectil'e, 'The' j tendency of the-front projectile to drift or deviate laterally to a greater extent thanthe rear one may be explained as follows: As the two projectiles approach the muazle Iof the gun there is an intervening column of gas between them ofthe samepressureas but of less volume than the column ot gas generated by the combustion of the main projecting charge. This column of gas is traveling at the saine speed as the projectiles. ,Hence when the said projectiles emerge from the muzzle of the gun there is not the same resistance offered to the forward Hight of' the rear projectile as is ofy fered by the atmosphere to the flight of the I5A forward projectile; Hence the drifter lateral deviationotfthe forward projectile due to this obstruction to its flight is more marked than is the'drift or lateral deviation of the rear projectile. The same is true of two project- 'iles without an interposed separating medium, the forward projectile forcing a path through the air, ,which the rear projectile has only to follow. The diierence in drift'or deviation of the 'two' projectiles does not increase proportionally to' the increase of the range, but .is substantially 'the same'at, say,f tive hundred to one thousand yards, thus indicating that the diderence in the deviating influence is not exerted vcontinuously throughout the friight of the projectile, but only at the beginning of its flight, and lthat the movement is ,more a bodily movementin a horizontal plane and 1n a direction at a right angle to the line of flight than an angular deviation along diverging lines.A A

I ind that the lateral deviation or drift of the rear projectile in respect to that of the forward projectile can be controlled by increasing or diminishing the interposed charge, never, of course, passing below the point where separation is' assured, the rule being that the heavier this interposed charge the greater will be the-diierence in the drift of the two projectiles, and I find, further, that the drop of the rear projectile can also be measurably controlled by varying the ysectional form or sectional density of the pro- If the rear projectile is of greater sectional density than the front one, this heavier projectile, although not at the' beginning of its flight describing so fiat a trajectory as the forward and lighter projectile,

j has after a certain point is reached less drop than said lighter projectile, or, in other words, has greater ranging power. `Hence by increasing the sectional density of the rear projectile by a few grains in weight its tendency to drop iscorrected to such an extent ,that the difference in the height of the two projectiles when they strike the target may be kept well Within a space corresponding. to the height of a man, even up to and beyond a range of one thousand yards '-that is to say,

-V at all those ranges where accurate and eectiveire is possible. In Fig. l the lighter forward projectile is represented' at l and the heavier rear projectile at 2.1 In a cartridge 'to change the sectional form ot' the projectile. For instance,as shown in Fig. 3, the forward projectile la may be blunter than the rear projectile 2a, so as to meet with greater atmospheric resistance in its Hight and have a greater drop, or variation both in sectional form and sectional density may be resorted to in order to attain the result. By the term 4,.dierent sectional character as used in the claims, therefore, I intend to cover either difference in sectional form, difference in sectional density, or both.

In some cases the variation in the character of the projectiles may be the reverse of that before described in order to increase the vertical distance betw'en the projectiles at the target, so 'that in shooting game there will be a greater chance ofhitting the target when the exact range is not known.

In order to protect and retain the charge interposed between the front and rear projectiles in a two-ball cartridge or between the rst and second projectiles of a cartridge having more than two balls, Lprefer to use a wad 3, which is .pressed tightly against the inner Wall of the contracted neck of the shell at.

the base of the 4forward projectile, this pressure being elected by making the wad in the first instance of slightly dished form, as shown in Fig. 2, and flattening vit by longitudinal pressure upon it after it has reached its proper position in the neck of the shell.

All of the projectiles in my improved cartridge are intended to be full-caliber projectiles, by which term is meant projectiles which will engage with the riding ofthe gun or inv the ease of a smooth-bore gun will lit so snugly to the bore as to prevent undue escape of the propulsive gases around the projectile projectiles. 1 Having thus describedv my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent Y 1. A multishot-cartridge having a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one before IOO l In;

another in advancel of a single projecting charge, said projectilesbeing' of diierent sectional character, substantially as specified.

2. A multishot-cartridge having a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one in advance of another and of different sectional character, successive projectiles being separated from each other by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fiuid under pressure between them when the series is simultaneously fired by a'projecting agent at the rear of said series, substantially as specified.

3. A multishot-cartridge having a single explosive projecting charge and a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one beyond another in advance of said charge, said projectiles being of dierent sectional character, substantially as specied.

4; A multishot-cartridge having an explosive projecting charge and a series of fullcaliber projectiles disposed one beyond anotherin advance of saidl charge, said projectiles being of different sectional character and successive projectiles being separated by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure between them when the series is simultaneously fired, substantially as specified. j

5. A multishot-cartridge having a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one before another in advance of a single projecting charge, said projectiles being of different sectional density, substantially as specified.

6. A multishot-cartridge having a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one in advance of another'and of dierent sectional density, successive projectiles being separated from each other by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fiuid under pressure between them when the series issii'nul-Y taneously ired'by a projecting agent at the rear of said series, substantially as specified.

7 A multishot-cartridge having a single explosive projecting charge and a series of fullca'liber projectiles disposed one beyond another in advance of said charge, said project iles being of different sectional density, substantially as specified.

S. A multishot-cartridge having an explosive projecting charge and a series of fullcaliber projectiles of different sectional dens-- ity disposed one beyond another in advance of said charge, successive Vprojectiles being separated by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure between them when the series is simultaneouslyfired, substantially as speciiied. A.

9. A multishot-cartridge having a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one in advanc'e of another, said projectiles being of different sectional density, and such sectional density being least in the forward projectile, greater in the next, and so on ifthe series comprises more than two, substantially as specified. f

10: A multishot-cartridge'having'a series of full-caliber projectiles disposed one in advance of another and of dierent sectional density, successive projectiles being separated from each other by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure between them when the series is simultaneously fired by a projecting agent in the rear'of said series, and the sectional density of the projectiles being least in the forward projectile, greater in the next, and so on' if the series comprises more thangtwo, substantially as specified.

11. A multishot-cartridge having an explo;

sive projecting charge anda series of fullcalihcr projectiles disposed one.beyond another in advance of said charge, said projectiles being of different sectional density, and

than two, substantially as specified.

,the`sectional density of the. projectiles being least in the forward projectile, greater in thenext, and so on it' the series comprises moreA 12. A multishot-cartridge having an exploy sive projecting charge anda series of fullcaliberprojectiles of dierent sectional density disposed onel beyond anotherin advance of said` charge, successive projectiles being separated by a medium which interposes a barrier of elastic fluid under pressure be-- tween them when the series is simultaneously fired, and the sectional density of the projectiles being least in the forward project` ile, greater in the next, and so on if the series comprises more thanl two, vsubstantially as specified. i

13. A multishotcartridge having acham- 'ber for the explosive projecting charge, and

a contracted neck in advance of the same', a series of projectiles disposed one in'advance of another in said contracted neck, successive projectiles being separated by an interposed explosive charge, and a wad interposed between the forward projectile and the charge in the rear of the same, and .fitting snugly in the contracted neck of the shell, substantially as specified. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` ROBERT W. SCOTT. Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. H. KLEIN.l 

